Boys' Caps: The Campaign Cap

Figure 1.--This Boys' Brigade band member wears a campaign cap in 2002 for the celebration of Queen Elizabeth's golden jubilee. Note the badge with yellow trim as well as the white gloves. Image courtesy of the MD collection.

I'm not sure how this style developed. Given the similarity to the Scottish Glengarry bonnet, that may have been the origins. The major difference was the check or plaid trim and the back streamers. We are not positive when soldiers first began wearing campaign caps. Spanish soldiers wore it in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. We note American, British, German, and Italian soldiers wearing it in World War II during the 1940s. The Italians and Spanish wore it with a front fringe. American soldiers wore it from the 1940s-80s. The first youth group we have noted wearing it was the Hitler Youth. It was the main cap worn by American Boy Scouts until the baseball cap was adopted in the 1980s. We note that some pipe bandwear campaign caps rather than more traditional Glengarrys.

Given the similarity to the Scottish Glengarry bonnet, that may have been the origins. The major difference was the check or plaid trim and the back streamers. The Glengarry bonnet is a blue woolen cap creased through the crown, like today's overseas cap. The Glengarry bonnet is a Highland Scotch cap for men and boys. It has straight almost vertical straight sides and a crease or hollow top sloping to the back, where it is parted and held together by ribbons or strings. It is normally worn with long silk streamers. It is commonly worn by Highlanders as part of military dress or pipe band uniforms. One report suggests that it first appeared in 1805 in Glengarry, Invernesshire, Scotland, but their are various accounts as to its creation. The cap has stiff sides and bound edges, finished with short ribbons hanging in back. The cap is of course associated with Scotland and worn with Highland kilt outfits. We have also noted boys in America, England, and France wearing them starting in the 19th century. Presumably they were also worn in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and other British colonies. American boys would wear them with other outfits besides kilts, but they were popular with kiltsuits. The cap was commonly worn throughout the second half of the 19th century, but in the 20th century appears to have been motly worn in Scotland or by boys in Highland garb for special occassions. The Glengarry bonnet is still worn today, primarily as part of ceremonial uniforms like pipe bands.

Description

The campaign cap has straight almost vertical straight sides and a crease or hollow top sloping to the back, where it is parted. Unlike tyhe Glengarry, it is a solid color and there are no streamers. It is, however, sometimes decorated with a front fringe. Like the Gkengarry a front badge is often added. This may be a metal badge pinned on to the cap, such as the Boys' Brigade or it might be an embroidered badge directly on the cap sich as the American Boy Scouts.

Military Cap

We are not positive when soldiers first began wearing campaign caps. We believe that some soldier may have worn it in World War I, but at this time hace few details. Spanish soldiers wore it in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. We note American, British, German, and Italian soldiers wearing it in World War II during the 1940s. I'm not sire just when the campaihn cap was The Italians and Spanish wore it with a front fringe. American soldiers wore it from the 1940s-80s.

The campaign cap became an important style for several youth groups. The first youth group we have noted wearing it was the Italian Balial, althought the Hitler Youth is probably more associate with it. Hitler Youth boys began wearing a peaked cap in the early 1930s, but quickly shipted to a less expensive campaign camp. We believe the cap was chosen becaise it was a style used in the German military. It was the main cap worn by American Boy Scouts until the baseball cap was adopted in the 1980s. Until the adoption of the baseball cap in the 1980s, the campaign cap had become very stringly assocaired with the Boy Scouts in America. The Boys' Brigade also adopted the campaign cap, but I am not sure when. They are the only major youth group which has continued to wear it. The Boys
Brigade have worn campaign caps with a number of different syulistic detailing. We assume that the campaign cap generally went out of style in Europe because of its association with the Hitler Youth. It continued in America and Britain because it was extensively worn by theior soldiers in World War II.

Pipe Band Cap

We note that some pipe bands wear campaign caps rather than more traditional Glengarrys. Here we have noted Boys' Brigade units, but there may be others.

Movies

The campaign cap was also depicted in movies, as military uniform, school uniform. and youth group uniform. A good example is The Private War of Major Benson, a U.S. film.